Improvement in mop-heads



dilated lteres @sind dtllllrr.

WILLIAM PIERCE VALENTINE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOHN ,ROBERTY DRAKE, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 108,304, dated October 11, 1870.

lMPROVEMENT IN MOP-HEADS.

The-Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, W naman Pinnen VALENTINE, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of vNew York, have invented certain Improvements in Mop-Heads, ot which the following is a specification.

Nature and Objects 0f thc Ilwcnton.

My invention consists in the special forni and construction of the wire and ferrulc.constituting the inophead, as hereinafter described, and the connection of said head with the handle.

General Description.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe mop-head.

Figure 2, a similar view, partly in section, with the locking device unclosed.

Figure 3 is a bott-oni plan.

A is the holder, made of a single piece ot' wire, bont in an `oblong shape, except the central part l5, which'is bent up double in the forni of a wedging-loop, forming the shank which entersthe handle G.

The longest en'd c of the holder, which is the under side, overlaps the shortest end b, at a point between the center and end, and a catch or, lock, is formed by stamping the end c.' into aseuiicircular groove or socket, so that when it is sprung inwardly it its over the short end l, as clearly shown in the drawing.

This forlnsa colnl'iletev self-springing and self-lock- -ing device.

The spac-e I) holds the material that composes the mop, which is easily inserted, by unspringing the lock, and then closing lthe saine again.

The more mop-stuff put in the tighter it holds.

E is a cast-iron ferrule, having cross-arnis or braces d d, one ou each side, which are provided wit-h grooves on the under side, which sets over the wire-holder, and prevents any bending or twist-ing out lhe. inside of the ferrule is made conical, daring upward, so that when the loop or shank of the holder is in position, inside, its'sides are nearly parallel with the inner sides of the ferrule.

This is a special feature of my invention, the object of which is to hold the wooden handle on, so that it Vcannot be withdrawn, and do away with any other fastening.

It is' accomplished as follows: v

.A small hole, smaller than the diameter of' the top ot' the loop, is bored into the handle; the top of the shank or loopV is placed opposite the hole,pand strong pressure applied to the i'errule and shank, the latter being forced into the hole, and any expansion that the holo receives, the fer-rule, which is i'orccd over the end of the handle, overcomes,

and the wood is forced around the lower and nar-v row part of the loop, which now acts as an inverted wedge, and holds the handle rigidly in place.

' |lhe constant expansion of the loop in its socket` has a tendency to keep it always tight, and to increasethe size of the Lipper instead of the lower end of the socket or tube, in which it fits, so that there is no dangerof its becoming loose,.especially as `the wood is constantly kept` swelled by the water,

which remains after use..

This loop or double head, forming the shank, is nruch more effectual than would be two loose ends iitting in the socket, as it 'retains its stiness to a greater degree, and is not so liable to get bent out of place and thereby get detached.

It also enables the loose ends of the single piece of wire to come on the opposite side, to form the lock c l1, as beforedescribed.

I know of no method of connection like this, where the loop sets directly in the wood, and the latter is tightened around the loop by the application of the ferrule.

rIhe whole lno'p is lighter' and more durable, does away with screws, slides, ears, and all fastenings, and is not liable to break.

It also does away withl all castings, except the ferrule. Y l i It is the easiest to take hold ot' and wring, and, from heilig so compact and narrow, will work around and in corners where other mops will not enter.

The shank and holder can belnade in two pieces, but I prefer it in a single piece, as shown.

' Claims.

I claim as my inventionp 1. The mop-head made from a single piece of wire,- so bent as to produce an unbroken wedge-shaped loop, B, for the shank, and overlapping-lock b c, for the junction of the ends, as herein shown and described.

2. rIlhe ferrule'E, with its bracing-arms d d and conical opening inthe center, substantially as and for the purpose hereiubefore set forth.

3. The unbroken wedge-shapedn shank Bcon nected directly with the wood of the handle G, resting in a similarly-shaped socket; in the wood, and held by the cross-armed ferrulc or collar E, arranged as described, Yand operatingin the manner and for the purpose specied.

In witness whereof, I. have hereunto signed my V name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. W. P. VALENTINE.

Witnesses z y J. R. BRAKE,

4 G. N. WooDwARD. 

